Identity: Classified

by Liz Shoaf

  “Something funny?”

  She positioned the laptop so he could see.

  “What...is that dog doing?”

  Chloe faced the computer and started talking and typing at the same time. “I told you I train dogs on the side. I only take a few clients at a time because most of my time is spent working in my security business. I don’t have a kennel or anything. I go to the owners’ houses and help with any kind of dog issues they’re having. It’s my passion and what I do for enjoyment. The dog in the picture is Byron. He’s a full-size poodle and has fallen in love with the owner’s riding lawn mower. He wants to eat beside it, sleep beside it, and pretty much spends all day lying beside it.”

  “Okay. So how do you fix that?”

  “We’re moving him away from it an inch at a time, hopefully getting him out of the garage and into the house. After he’s able to sleep in the house at night, one morning he’ll wake up and the lawn mower will disappear.”

  Ethan shook his head. “You’re a multitalented woman, Chloe Spencer.”

  Chloe answered all her emails and pulled up the program tracking her old laptop. “My old computer is still at the orphanage. Should we warn Sarah before we arrive?” The thought of anything happening to the woman who had been so kind to her made Chloe sick to her stomach, and she lowered her head.

  Two fingers lifted her chin, and she stared into a pair of sympathetic green eyes.

  “Chloe, none of this is your fault. If everything is as you say, the fault lies with the killer.” He pulled away and she missed the warmth of his callused fingers.

  As the plane soared through the air, Chloe thought of returning to the orphanage and struggled quietly to breathe. She felt the past rising up to meet the present, and she didn’t know if she was ready for that. She hadn’t visited the orphanage since leaving at the age of sixteen. She’d kept in touch with Sarah by phone, but had tried her best to keep the past where it should be. Behind her, way behind her. Now the killer had given her no option.

  Even though it was closed, her computer dinged, and Ethan’s head turned sharply.

  “What was that?”

  She opened the lid. “Just an incoming email notification.” She gasped out loud when she saw the notice.

  Ethan leaned closer and touched her arm. “What is it?”

  Chloe stared at the screen. “I opened the door for the killer, and it appears he took me up on the invitation. It’s a live chat video feed.” She looked up. “That means it’s in real time and we’ll be able to see and talk to each other. He’s good. He found my new computer quickly after I opened my email.”

  Grim faced, Ethan nodded. “Turn the computer toward you and the window so he can’t see me, then answer it.”

  She had lifted a finger to make it happen when Ethan grabbed her hand, stopping her. “Can you record it?”

  She nodded, set the computer to Record, then opened the live chat.

  The same masked face with evil eyes stared back at her from the computer screen.

  “Miss Spencer, you’ve made yourself unavailable to me. That wasn’t wise. I suggest you get to the orphanage as soon as possible. I understand you have a special friend there.”

  The screen went blank.

  After watching the recording of the video, Ethan mulled over everything the killer had said. He’d detected a moment of uncertainty in the man’s eyes, the only thing not covered by the ski mask.

  “He’s not sure you have the disc.”

  Her hand shook as she plowed fingers through her short hair and Ethan strangled his desire to take Chloe into his arms and reassure her. He was glad when she visibly pulled herself together.

  “I don’t have the disc, but what makes you say that?”

  He shrugged. “In the course of my career, I’ve interviewed a lot of people. I learned to watch for signs that most people wouldn’t notice. I saw uncertainty flash in his eyes.”

  Fire lit her eyes. “I’d give it to him if I had it. I want this to be over.”

  Ethan twisted in his seat and faced her. “Chloe, what if something dangerous is on that disc? Something that might hurt a lot of people?”

  Her eyes flashed again, this time with hurt. “You think I have the disc.” She swiped angry tears from her eyes. “You don’t trust me.”

  She turned her face away and Ethan wanted to scream in frustration. He didn’t know what to believe.

  “Answer this question. Have you told me everything?”

  She twisted back around, her face an emotionless mask. “I’ve told you everything pertinent to the investigation.”

  He gave it one last shot. “Chloe, I’ve learned that during the course of an investigation, a seemingly useless piece of information can crack a case wide open.” She stayed quiet. “At least tell me this much—are your secrets connected to the case, or are they personal?”

  “They’re personal and none of your business.”

  “I’d suggest you give serious thought to sharing your past with me. It might be important.”

  She shook her head in denial. “He sent my old laptop there to let me know he can get to the people I love at any time.”

  Ethan sat back with a huff. Chloe was as stubborn as his daughter. The truth would ooze to the surface; it always did. One thing he did know—there were things in Chloe’s past she didn’t want revealed and he had to wonder why. Another thought crossed his mind. Chloe came up clean when David ran a search on her, but she was a computer genius. Could she have wiped a past criminal record clean? Ethan made a mental note to call in a few favors from people who owed him at his old department in Chicago. Chloe might be super skilled at computers, but there were still paper trails available. At least he hoped so.

  “I think it’s time to contact anyone you know in North Carolina who the killer might be interested in.”

  He knew he was being tough on Chloe, but reminding himself, as well as her, that she had a hoard of secrets kept his attraction to the woman in perspective. He wanted answers, but the investigation kept a much-needed wall between them. Not that he thought she was attracted to him. He had a ready-made family and Chloe was a strong-minded, independent businesswoman who owned her own security company and lived in New York.

  Ethan eavesdropped unabashedly when the plane hit the ground and Chloe made a call on her smartphone. He grinned when she huddled next to the plane’s window and lowered her voice.

  “Sarah Rutledge, please. This is Chloe Spencer. It’s an emergency. Yes, I’ll hold.”

  She turned and glared at him. “Do you mind?”

  He grinned. “Not at all.”

  She actually growled at him, and a second growl rose from under the seat. Geordie was following his handler’s lead. She petted the dog’s head through the dog carrier. Chloe presented him with the back of her head and cupped her hand over the side of the phone. He grinned wider. Hard to do with a smartphone. Technology was finally working in his favor.

  “Sarah, hey, this is Chloe. I’m fine, and yes, I know it’s been a while since I called. I miss you, too. Yeah, that’s great. Congratulations. Listen, we can catch up soon. I’m on a plane headed your way. I should be there by late this evening. I’d appreciate that. Listen, there’s something I need to tell you before I get there. I’ve run into a small problem.” Chloe scrunched closer to the window. “No, not like last time, well, not exactly.” Chloe took a deep breath and Ethan listened intently. “All you need to know right now is that you must be careful. Keep all the kids inside and lock the doors. Get the Taser I gave you and keep it on you at all times. Is it charged? Good. Get it now and I’ll explain everything later. Thanks.”

  There was a long pause at Chloe’s end of the conversation, and Ethan could only imagine what Sarah Rutledge was saying.

  “Just do what I say, and everything will be fine. No! No need to call him. I’ll be there s
oon. Yeah, I love you, too.”

  Chloe hit the end button and rested the hand holding her phone on her thigh.

  “You gave Sarah Rutledge a Taser?”

  She slipped the phone back inside her coat pocket. “It’s a dangerous world. Everyone needs protection.”

  Ethan rested his head back and closed his eyes. He knew he appeared relaxed, but his mind was racing. “Who was the man you didn’t want Sarah Rutledge to call?”

  “It isn’t pertinent to the investigation.”

  He heard the smirk in her voice, but let it go. “So what problem did you have last time?”

  “What?” Frustration laced her words and that was fine with him because the woman frustrated him beyond words.

  “You told Sarah you had run into a problem, then you responded ‘No, not like last time, well, not exactly.’”

  A finger poked him in the side and he opened his eyes. She had twisted fully around and was glaring at him. “Do you have one of those photographic memories where you can remember verbatim everything anyone says?”

  Now she was aggravated and, well, welcome to his world. “No, I trained myself to listen and remember. You never—”

  “I know, you never know when the smallest detail will crack a case wide open.”

  They both laughed, and it eased the tension until he asked, “So what was the problem you ran into last time?”

  He was watching her closely and saw her left eye twitch. He’d hit a nerve.

  “It’s not pertinent to the investigation. It was a childhood prank, that’s all.”

  He didn’t believe her. She had failed to mask the emotion on her face, and tension and fear leaked past the carefully constructed facade. The closer they got to her past—North Carolina and the orphanage—the more her veneer crumbled.

  * * *

  They had rented a car and left the airport an hour ago. With Geordie watching intently from the cracked car door window behind her, Chloe now stood facing the front door of the sprawling orphanage’s main office. She scanned the multiple unsecured buildings with unease. The killer could be anywhere.

  She’d called Sarah five minutes ago and told her to be watching for them. The door opened and there she stood. The woman who had wrapped her arms around a lost ten-year-old girl whose parents had just been killed on the mission field. Maybe it was being at the orphanage for the first time since she’d left at age sixteen, but memories flooded her mind and Chloe almost staggered under the weight of it.

  Once again, Sarah wrapped both arms around her and Chloe wanted to cry, but she refused to let her emotions have free rein. She was afraid that once released, the flood would begin and never stop. That didn’t keep Sarah from crying her eyes out.

  “Chloe, it’s been too long, and I can’t believe you’re here. I know we’ve visited in New York, but I had given up hope that you’d ever come back here.”

  A throat clearing behind her had Chloe pulling out of Sarah’s arms. “Sarah, this is Ethan Hoyt and he’s here to help. That’s Geordie watching us out the car window. Let’s go inside.”

  The urgency in her voice must have prodded Sarah. Her red hair pulled back in a ponytail, she waved at Geordie and motioned them through the doorway. Once it was closed, she whirled around, her high energy almost visible to the eye. Sarah had always been bursting with life. She was the most positive person Chloe had ever met.

  Sarah stuck a hand out toward Ethan. “It’s always nice to meet a friend of Chloe’s.”

  They shook hands and Ethan said, “Nice to meet you, too. Chloe has spoken highly of you.”

  Chloe rolled her eyes. The man could ooze charm when he wanted to.

  Sarah grabbed a hand from each of them. “Come on. I know you’re hungry. Let’s get you something to eat, and after you’ve settled down, you can tell me what’s going on.” She pulled them toward the back door of the office building, chattering the whole way. As Chloe was intimately familiar with the place, she knew the kitchens were in the building right behind the office.

  Sarah dropped their hands and moved several feet in front of them under the roofed open walkway connecting the buildings. Chloe checked out the other buildings and grounds visible from their location. Nothing had changed except that the place had deteriorated even more since she’d left. As she well knew, donations for the orphanage were hard to come by. She gave often, and the government helped, but the orphanage always ran on a shortage of funds.

  Chloe looked forward and saw Sarah had almost reached the door to the kitchens, but suddenly, seconds after Geordie growled, Sarah was thrust backward and thrown to the old concrete walkway. Chloe froze. No! This couldn’t be happening. She heard Ethan yelling, but it was as if the sound was being muffled by a loud roaring in her ears.

  The paralysis left her body when Ethan ran forward and began ushering Sarah through the door. Chloe ran to the woman who had gotten her through the most traumatic part of her life and helped Ethan get her inside where it was safe.

  Chloe knelt beside Sarah, whom they had gently laid on the floor, and she looked at Ethan, who was kneeling beside her. “Ethan,” she whispered, not even realizing tears were streaming down her face, “help her.”

  Ethan ran his hands over Sarah in a brisk, professional manner, then rocked back on his heels. Though Chloe wanted to scream, she took a deep breath and collected herself.

  “Ethan, is she okay?”

  He shook his head, a quizzical expression on his face. “I’m not sure. The way she fell indicates she was shot, but she’s breathing fine and there’s no point of entry for a bullet wound. If there was a shot, the gunman used a silencer because I didn’t hear anything.”

  Fury as she’d never known before tore through her body like a lightning strike. Chloe scrambled to her feet, and, without giving Ethan a chance to stop her, ran back outside, raised her arms in the air and screamed at the top of her lungs.

  “You want a piece of me? Here I am. Take your best shot.” She pumped a fist in the air. “But you even get close again to someone else I love, and you’ll never get your hands on that disc. You hear me?”

  A strong hand grabbed her by the arm and jerked her back onto the sidewalk and through the doorway.

  She slapped Ethan’s hands away and gulped in several deep breaths. It took a minute, but after calming herself, she ignored Ethan’s dark scowl and dropped to her knees when Sarah moaned.

  “Sarah, it’s Chloe. Are you okay?”

  Sarah opened her eyes and half smiled. “Things always were exciting when you were here, Chloe.”

  Tears filled her eyes, and Chloe leaned over and hugged the wonderful woman. Rising up, Chloe asked once again, “Are you okay?”

  Sarah rubbed her chest and pulled out the large cross she wore at all times. It was attached to a long chain that reached her chest, close to her heart. She kissed the cross, held it up so she could take a look, then turned it around so they could see.

  “God’s hand at work.”

  Ethan kneeled across from Chloe and examined the cross. “Unbelievable.”

  “What? What is it?”

  Ethan turned the cross so Chloe could see. The thick metal had a deep indentation about the size of a bullet in it. Chloe almost hyperventilated. So close. Sarah had come so close to dying, and it was her fault.

  “Stop blaming yourself, Chloe, and help an older woman to her feet.”

  She and Ethan rose and each took an arm to pull Sarah up. As soon as she steadied herself, she cupped Chloe’s face in her hands.

  “Dear, sweet child, none of this is your fault. You always were one to take the weight of the world on your shoulders. I’m fine and, remember, only God knows when our time has come.”

  Chloe stepped back, immediately missing Sarah’s warm touch. Frantically she looked around the familiar dining room that led to the kitchens in the back. The past she’d w
orked so hard to bury was a living, breathing thing bombarding her in waves.

  A gentle hand took her by the elbow and led her to one of the tables. “Come, sit down and let me get you something to eat.”

  Chloe numbly followed her orders and she heard Ethan talking low.

  “Sarah, it’s better if we don’t call the police. We’ll explain soon.”

  Sarah chuckled and mumbled something about keeping Chloe out of trouble, and Chloe’s world righted itself. Her mentor was really okay. She had no doubt that Sarah would have a painful bruise where the bullet had hit the metal cross, but she always kept going no matter what, and that snapped Chloe out of her selfish trip to the past.

  She jumped up from her seat, took Sarah by the arm and led her to a chair. “I’m sorry. I just zoned out for a moment. You’re the one who needs to sit down. I’ll grab us some grub and be right back.”

  On the way to the kitchen, her thoughts racing, Chloe desperately wondered which one of her loved ones the killer would target next.

  TWELVE

  Sarah released a huge sigh and smiled at Ethan. He took a chair across from her.

  “You’re sure you’re okay? You don’t need to see a doctor? Did you secure the kids like Chloe asked you to?”

  She rubbed her chest again. “I’ll be fine, and, yes, the kids and faculty are all safely indoors.” Her smile melted away and Ethan got his first glimpse of the protective, mother hen side of Sarah. “But Chloe isn’t okay. I want to know what’s going on and how you’re involved in it.”

  Ethan sat back and grinned.

  “And what do you think is so funny about this situation, young man?”

  “I see now where Chloe gets her feistiness. I know she’s not your daughter, but from what she’s told me about her past, she holds you in high regard. I believe she came to you at the age of ten and you were a large influence in her life.” Ethan felt a little guilty for misleading the woman and making it sound like Chloe had shared her life story with him, but he needed information and he needed it fast. Things were escalating and the killer was becoming bold.